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Accommodation in Prague 1 - Hotel and Hostel Little Quarter, is situated in Nerudova street, directly on the famous Royal Route, which winds through the heart of the historical Prague center. Rooms on the top floors and a roof patio opened during the summer offer unforgettable view of the Prague Castle and Petřín Hill.

Santini residence is a luxury and also very romantic hotel in Prague located in the very heart of the "Golden City". Quality hotel in Prague, Santini Residence represents a unique piece of luxury. The building of the Residence itself dates back to the 17th century but is so expertly preserved and restored that even nowadays you can admire exquisitely painted ceilings, wooden joists and original arches.

Hotel The Golden Wheel (U Zlateho Kola), from category 4 star Prague hotels, is situated directly in Nerudova Street, thus in the most well-known and picturesque spot in the Lesser Quarter (Mala Strana). It’s right here that the so-called Kralovska cesta (Royal Route), travelled by all Czech kings to their crowning in the St. Vitus Cathedral. Passing by palaces of nobility, merchants’ shops and mysterious arcades, you will get to us while walking the same ancient stone-paved route. Small, romantic, family type hotel offers Prague accommodation in 17 luxurious rooms.

Hotel Aureus Clavis Praha, from category 3 star hotels Prague, is a small, romantic hotel, housed in a classic Gothic building in the very heart of the historical centre of Prague in Mala Strana (the Lesser Town) in the street Nerudova. Most major tourist destinations - Prague Castle, the Charles Bridge, the Old Town Square, the old Jewish quarter of Josefov - are within walking distance.

Prague Hotel Apartments U Zlaté podkovy (Prague Apartments At the golden horseshoe) are located in the very centre of Prague, in the historical Nerudova Street, just a few steps from the most significant historical monuments in Prague, e.g. Loreta, the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad Praha) or the Saint-Nicolas Church (Kostel Svateho Mikulase Praha). Along the former Royal Route (Kralovska cesta), which runs through the Nerudova Street towards the Prague Castle (Prazsky Hrad), you can admire Renaissance and Baroque burghers' houses with conspicuous house signs.

Hotel Constans Praha, from category 4 star Prague hotels, is situated in the very historical centre of Prague, on Jánský Vrch directly under Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad). Surely, each of guests valued the unforgettable, romantic views of the entire Malá Strana, not to mention the St. Nicholas Cathedral or the Schwarzenberg Palace. By foot, you will be able to easily visit Prague Castle, the Strahov Monastery, Charles’ Bridge—and then along Karlova Street to—Old Town Square, the Jewish Town and many other historical places.

Prague hostel Arpacay is the right place if you are looking for pleasant and cheap accommodation in Prague. There are many beautiful guesthouses outside the Prague centre but do you want to have to hire a car and travel from the outskirts of Prague through the morning rush hour? Or maybe you would prefer to stay near the centre with quick convenient access to all that Prague has to offer? Try Arpacay hostel in Prague! Tram No. 7 stops in front of the hostel’s door and takes you directly to Prague Old Town, or you could use the underground (metro station Mustek) network which will take you to Wenceslas Square in just 7 minutes.

The Four Star Hotel Bijou de Prague is located in Neruda Street, a short walk (about 400 meters) from the Prague Castle. Nearby is also the Charles Bridge. Residence Bijou de Prague offers 6 luxurious and comfortable, elegantly furnished rooms, with great views of the city. There is nonstop front desk. For guests of the Hotel Bijou de Prague is nonstop internet corner and wifi connection.

Desing Hotel Sax from category 4 star Prague hotels, you will find in one of the most beautiful parts of old Praha, the Lesser Town. The Charles Bridge, Prague Castle and St. Nicholas´ Cathedral, the most important sights in Praha, lies in the vicinity of our hotel and you can also admire them out of the hotel windows. Hotel Sax is ideal place for turists as well as business travelers.

Neruda Design Hotel Prague, from category 4 star Prague hotels, is located in the Nerudova street in the Lesser Town in Prague. The street leads from the top part of the Lesser Town Square uphill to the Prague Castle. Once it was one part of the King’s Road leading from the Charles Bridge up to the Prague Castle. Boutique Hotel Neruda is located a stone’s throw from the most famous monuments - Charles Bridge, Old Town Square, Prague New Town and Wenceslas Square.

Prague Hotel Red Lion (Hotel U Cerveneho Lva, Praha) belonging to the category of 4-star Prague luxury hotels offering Prague accommodation in in the historical centre of Prague, right on the "Royal Route" (Kralovska cesta, Praha) in a vicinity of the main entrance gate to the Prague Castle (Prazsky hrad, Praha). Particularly unique is the house facade, connected with the famous 17th century altar painter Peter Brandl, who was born and lived in this house.

Residence Green Lobster, four-star hotel in Prague 1 - Hradčany, historical building from the 14th century is located in Neruda Street in the picturesque quarter of Prague - Malá Strana within walking distance of the historic Prague Castle and Charles Bridge. Hotel Green Lobster has 20 rooms - 9 Standard, 5 Deluxe and 6 Executive rooms. The executive rooms are located in a separate private building on the other side of the street.

Prague Castle (Pražský hrad)

Prague Castle (Czech: Pražský hrad) is the official residence and office of the President of the Czech Republic. Located in the Hradčany district of Prague and dating back to the ninth century, the castle has been a seat of power for kings of Bohemia, Holy Roman emperors, and presidents of Czechoslovakia. The Bohemian Crown Jewels are kept within a hidden room inside it.

The Guinness Book of Records lists Prague Castle as the largest ancient castle in the world. It occupies an area of almost 70,000 m2, at about 570 meters in length and an average of about 130 meters wide.

History

The history of the castle stretches back to the year 870 with the construction of its first walled building, the Church of the Virgin Mary. The Basilica of Saint George and the Basilica of St. Vitus were founded under the reign of Vratislav and his son St. Wenceslas in the first half of the 10th century.

The first convent in Bohemia was founded in the castle, next to the church of St. George. A Romanesque palace was erected here during the 12th century. In the 14th century, under the reign of Charles IV the royal palace was rebuilt in Gothic style and the castle fortifications were strengthened. In place of rotunda and basilica of St. Vitus began building of a vast Gothic church, that have been completed almost six centuries later.

During the Hussite Wars and the following decades, the castle was not inhabited. In 1485, King Ladislaus II Jagello began to rebuild the castle. The massive Vladislav Hall (built by Benedikt Rejt) was added to the Royal Palace. New defence towers were also built on the north side of the castle.

A large fire in 1541 destroyed large parts of the castle. Under the Habsburgs, some new buildings in renaissance style were added. Ferdinand I built Belvedere as a summer palace for his wife Anne. Rudolph II used Prague Castle as his main residence. He founded the northern wing of the palace, with the Spanish Hall, where his precious art collections were exhibited.

The Second Prague defenestration in 1618 began the Bohemian Revolt. During the subsequent wars, the Castle was damaged and dilapidated. Many works from the collection of Rudolph II were looted by Swedes in 1648, in the Battle of Prague (1648) which was the final act of the Thirty Years' War.

The last major rebuilding of the castle was carried out by Empress Maria Theresa in the second half of the 18th century. Following his abdication in 1848, and the succession of his nephew, Franz Joseph, to the throne, the former emperor, Ferdinand I, made Prague Castle his home.

In 1918, the castle became the seat of the president of the new Czechoslovak Republic T.G. Masaryk. The New Royal Palace and the gardens were renovated by Slovenian architect Jože Plečnik. In this period the St Vitus Cathedral was finished (on September 28, in 1929). Renovations continued in 1936 under Plečnik's successor Pavel Janák.

On March 15, 1939, shortly after the Nazi regime strong-armed former Czech President Emil Hacha (who suffered a heart-attack during the negotiations) to hand his nation over to the Germans, Adolf Hitler spent a night in the Prague Castle, "proudly surveying his new possession." During the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia in World War II, Prague Castle became the headquarters of Reinhard Heydrich, the "Reich Protector of Bohemia and Moravia". He was said to have placed the Bohemian crown on his head; old legends say a usurper who places the crown on his head is doomed to die within a year. Less than a year after assuming power, on May 27, 1942, Heydrich was attacked by British-trained Czech soldiers while on his way to the Castle, and died of his wounds (which became infected) a week later.

After the liberation of Czechoslovakia, it housed the offices of the communist Czechoslovak government. During the Velvet Revolution, Alexander Dubček, the leader of Czechoslovakia during the Prague Spring, appeared on a balcony overlooking Wenceslas Square to hear throngs of protesters below shouting "Dubček to the Castle!" As they pushed for him to take his seat as president of the country at Prague Castle, he embraced the crowd as a symbol of democratic freedom.

After Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the castle became the seat of the Head of State of the new Czech Republic. Similar to what Masaryk did with Plečnik, president Václav Havel commissioned Bořek Šípek to be the architect of post-communism Prague Castle's necessary improvements, in particular of the facelift of the castle's gallery of paintings.

Architectural styles of Prague Castle

The castle buildings represent virtually every architectural style of the last millennium. Prague Castle includes Gothic St Vitus Cathedral, Romanesque Basilica of St. George, a monastery and several palaces, gardens and defense towers. Most of the castle areas are open to tourists. Nowadays, the castle houses several museums, including the National Gallery collection of Bohemian baroque and mannerism art, exhibition dedicated to Czech history, Toy Museum and the picture gallery of Prague Castle, based on the collection of Rudolph II. The Summer Shakespeare Festival regularly takes place in the courtyard of Burgrave Palace.

The neighborhood around Prague Castle is called Hradčany.

Palaces

Starý královský palác (old Royal Palace), not to be confused with the Old Royal Palace in Athens)

Letohrádek královny Anny (Belvedere or Royal Summer Palace)

Lobkovický palác (Lobkowicz Palace, not to be confused with the German embassy in Malá Strana)

Nový královský palác (New Royal Palace, Czech Republic, not to be confused with the New Royal Palace in Athens)